Birth control battles

Plus internet infrastructure at risk and the shrinking Atlantic Ocean [View this email in your browser]( [The Week Evening Review]( The arrival of Opill, internet infrastructure at risk, and the shrinking Atlantic Ocean   Good evening, Over-the-counter birth control is arriving just as Democrats are "seeking to make the connection between Alabama's IVF decision and birth control restrictions," The Guardian said. The recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that affirmed personhood for frozen embryos used for in vitro fertilization has only intensified the "political crisis" for Republicans hoping to find a middle ground on reproductive rights. Will the issue come back to haunt Republicans come Election Day? Summer Meza The Week Digital     Become a digital subscriber to The Week from just $1. [Discover our offers](. And if you already subscribe to The Week, [click here]( to activate your digital access.     Talking Points Opill arrives amid the reproductive rights battle Cheap, easy birth control is arriving in the United States. The country's first over-the-counter birth control pill will "soon become the most effective birth-control method available without a doctor's visit," said The Wall Street Journal. The pill — called Opill, available for $19.99 a month — is a "milestone that reproductive activists have pursued for decades." And it comes amid fierce political battles over reproductive rights in America. Is insurance coverage next?While the price tag for Opill is relatively low, some lawmakers want to make it even cheaper. "Dozens" of congressional Democrats have called on federal agencies to "ensure that private health insurance plans will fully cover the pill without a prescription," said CNN. That might be smart election-year politics for Democrats. Opposition to protections for birth control may "come back to haunt Republicans in November," said The New York Times. Recent polling shows 80% of voters say that access to contraceptives is "deeply important" and that 72% had a "favorable view" of birth control. All but eight GOP members of the House opposed a 2022 bill to protect contraception. But nearly two-thirds of poll respondents said that made them less likely to vote Republican this year — a "political crisis" for the GOP. 'Little public opposition'It is notable that federal approval for Opill "faced very little public opposition from conservative groups," said The New York Times. While some Catholic organizations pushed back against the pill, other groups that are "often critical of measures that increase access to abortion, emergency contraception and sex education" stayed silent on the topic. That could prove a rare break from political battles this year. The issue of reproductive rights was "always going to loom large in the 2024 U.S. elections," said Voice of America. In the meantime, consumers should start to see the pills on store shelves in coming weeks, said CNN. Under the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans will cover the cost, and Perrigo, the company behind Opill, said it will soon announce a "cost assistance" program for low-income people. The idea, said one company official, is to "ensure both affordability and availability on shelf."     QUOTE OF THE DAY "These 'prompts,' as they are euphemistically called, are no joke — they are like work projects. It's like being on 'American Idol' trying to land a job in the tech industry in 2024." John Moore, a technical curriculum developer and instructional designer, speaking to Wired about the dayslong "homework" assignments that are increasingly part of tech job interviews   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   The Explainer Red Sea conflict could wreak havoc on the internet Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have been preying on freighter ships since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out but now appear to have a new target: internet infrastructure. Four underwater telecom cables were recently cut, disrupting traffic between Asia, Europe and the Middle East, according to HGC Global Communications. The incident resulted in at least 25% of internet traffic between the three regions being disrupted. While the company did not say who was responsible, Houthi rebels from Yemen have allegedly been ramping up cable attacks. If the Houthis continue, it could have catastrophic effects on the global communications industry. The Guardian estimates the Red Sea "carries about 17% of the world's internet traffic along fiber pipes." How do we know Houthis are attacking internet cables?Houthi leadership has denied it, but there is mounting evidence against the rebels. A post on a Houthi-affiliated Telegram page last December displayed a map of submarine cables throughout the Red Sea along with a veiled threat. And days after Yemen's government alleged that the Houthis would attack internet lines, the first disruption occurred on Feb. 24, with the "organization NetBlocks noticing internet access in the East African nation of Djibouti suffering from interruptions," The Washington Post said. How are they doing it? While cables often lie hundreds of feet below the ocean surface, "subsea cables can be cut by anchors, including those dropped from some of the ships that have been disabled in attacks," said the Post. What happens if these cables are disrupted?Continual disruption of Red Sea cables could have massive consequences, since the majority of internet traffic between Europe and East Asia runs through them. When service is cut off, telecommunications companies may be hesitant to deploy new cable lines because of exorbitant costs. The good news: There is often a backup plan if a cable gets destroyed. The majority of telecom companies around the world "rely on multiple undersea cable systems, allowing them to reroute traffic in the event of an outage to ensure uninterrupted service," said CNN.     Statistic of the day 117: The age of the world's oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, who celebrated her birthday this week. Morera was born on March 4, 1907, and has lived in Spain since she was 8 years old. Morera was named the oldest person in the world in 2023 after the death of 118-year-old French woman Lucile Randon. UPI   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   In the Spotlight The Atlantic Ocean may start shrinking Oceans are not a permanent fixture on Earth, and the Atlantic Ocean may begin to shrink, said a new study published in the journal Geology. Here is why (and when) it will happen. The origins About 180 million years ago, Pangea broke up and formed the Atlantic Ocean. Since then, the Atlantic has been expanding, a growth attributed to the Wilson Cycle, which "describes the birth, growth and eventual closure of oceanic bodies," said Earth.com. "A continent breaks up and an ocean forms in the interior, the ocean grows as continents drift apart, and then they reach a turning point — subduction initiation — where the old, heavy plates at the edge of the ocean begin to slide underneath lighter continental plates. Then the ocean shrinks until the continents at its edges collide," said Cosmos magazine. Since the Atlantic Ocean has been growing, it is only a matter of time before it begins to shrink. Much of this movement is caused by subduction zones, which are "places where one tectonic plate sinks below another," the study authors said. Subduction zones are "characterized by intense geological activity, including earthquakes," said Newsweek. This is similar to the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean, a hotbed of volcanic activity. In order for the Atlantic to shrink, new subduction zones must form, which doesn't happen often. However, "subduction zones that already exist can migrate in a process known as subduction invasion." The latestThe new study found there is an inactive subduction zone beneath the Strait of Gibraltar. It is dormant but will "spread inside the Atlantic in the next 20 million years," which is short on a geological timescale, said João Duarte, a study co-author. This zone will move to the Atlantic Ocean through subduction invasion. Study findings indicate the Atlantic may soon enter its declining phase, where the ocean will shrink and perhaps disappear altogether in 200 million years. The Atlantic already has two subduction zones and, coupled with the one expected from the Strait of Gibraltar, has the potential to create a ring of fire. This increases seismic risk in the region, which will up the need for earthquake preparedness.     Poll watch The Dominican Republic has the most mentally healthy people in the world, according to a new poll from Sapien Labs. The poll analyzed mental health data from more than 419,000 internet participants across 71 countries. The Dominican Republic topped the list, followed by Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Panama. The U.S. came in at 28th on the list.     INSTANT OPINION Today's best commentary 'The staggering environmental toll of artificial intelligence'Liza Featherstone in The New RepublicThe threat that artificial intelligence could worsen "misinformation, democratic dysfunction and systemic racism" could be "obscuring the more direct" problems the technology creates, says Liza Featherstone. AI data centers use an "unconscionable" amount of water to cool their computers, "in desert regions that can ill afford to squander it." Generative AI also voraciously consumes energy and critical minerals and generates mountains of toxic "e-waste." All this puts our planet "under existential threat, for no good reason." 'There's another way Trump could get immunity'Mona Charen in The BulwarkThe Supreme Court sided with former President Donald Trump by ruling states can't keep him off the ballot, says Mona Charen. His "presidential immunity claim is another matter." Backing Trump on that would "essentially gut the Constitution" and let presidents take bribes, torture critics — you name it. But there is another way Trump can get immunity. If he wins in November, voters will be granting him "absolution" for everything from mishandling secret documents to threatening election officials. 'No, Oregon's drug decriminalization law was not a failure'Robert Gebelhoff in The Washington PostIt is unfair to write off Oregon's drug decriminalization as a "disaster," says Robert Gebelhoff. Measure 110 protected people from arrest for minor drug possession and called for $100 citations instead. Critics argue that turned bus shelters into "smoking dens" and worsened the state's addiction epidemic. Drug overdoses surged but no worse than in other states. And the law undeniably reduced imprisonment for substance use, which is important because people face "higher risk of overdose after incarceration."     Picture of the day Front-line fire A Ukrainian soldier from the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade fires a 122mm mortar toward the front line, near Bakhmut, Ukraine. Efrem Lukatsky / AP     Good day 🌴 … for Miami Beach residents. The city is breaking up with spring break, a toxic relationship that has gotten increasingly violent over the past few years. Miami Beach officials said they will implement security measures aimed at "curbing the chaos," The Associated Press said. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said the "status quo" of the last few years was "just not acceptable, not tolerable." Spring breakers can expect curfews, bag searches, early beach closure and DUI checkpoints.     Bad day 🎟️ … for Southeast Asian Swifties outside Singapore. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong confirmed that the country made a closed-door deal with Taylor Swift to make the city-state her only stop in Southeast Asia during her "Eras" tour. The news led to criticism from surrounding countries. Joey Salceda, a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, said this "isn't what good neighbors do" and added that such agreements go against the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' principles, according to local media.     Puzzles [Daily crossword]( Test your general knowledge with The Week's daily crossword, part of our puzzles section, which also includes [sudoku]( and [codewords](. [Play here](     The Week recommends [The fishing, deer and six-toed cats of the Florida Keys]( For a true getaway, head to the laid-back Florida Keys, the island chain at the southern tip of the state. Islamorada What to do: Islamorada is the sport-fishing capital of the world. Charter boats and hire guides to take you out in search of kingfish, mahi-mahi and sailfish. Where to eat: Order the tuna nachos and Key lime peppercorn snapper at Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar. If you went fishing, bring your catch and have the chef prepare it! Where to sleep: At the Cheeca Lodge & Spa, enjoy tennis, water aerobics, sunrise yoga and snorkeling tours. Big Pine Key and the Lower KeysWhat to do: Get a closer look at the tiny Key deer, an endangered subspecies only found in the Keys, at the National Key Deer Refuge. Where to eat and sleep: Keep up the theme at the Deer Run on the Atlantic. Guests get organic plant-based breakfasts and bicycles to get around. Stop by No Name Pub for its famous pizza and homemade smoked fish dip. Key WestWhat to do: The southernmost point in the U.S. was home to writer Ernest Hemingway. Feline fans will appreciate the six-toed cats who still roam his property turned museum. Where to eat: Only 91 nautical miles from Havana, Key West hosts top-notch Cuban restaurants. Try nachos with homemade plantain chips instead of corn, as well as ropa vieja at El Meson de Pepe. Where to sleep: La Pensione, a bed and breakfast dating back to 1891, is just three blocks away from the thriving nightlife of Duval Street. [Read more](     WORD OF THE DAY zoonosis An infectious disease that jumps from animals to humans. Reverse zoonosis, whereby a disease jumps from humans to animals, is a growing threat to chimpanzees, often greater than habitat loss or poaching, Nature said.     In the morning Tomorrow, you can find out why the U.S. Army is cutting jobs to prepare for future wars, read about a frog growing a mushroom on its body that is baffling scientists, and more. Thanks for reading, Summer     Evening Review was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Harold Maass, Scott Hocker, Justin Klawans, Kelsee Majette, Joel Mathis, Summer Meza, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz, Anahi Valenzuela and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek. Image credits, from top: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images; David Oller / Europa Press via Getty Images; southerlycourse / Getty Images; vwalakte / Getty Images   © Future US, Inc • [theweek.com]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Privacy Policy]( The Week is published by Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.